Two Birds One Stone
by RainTeaandDragons
Summary: Gray hadn't spoken a word since Natsu had revealed to the guild that he was E.N.D. and that in addition his hidden power hadn't worked on Zeref. Instead Gray's slipped away from the chaos which had ensued and hoped that no one would try and find him. He knew they would ask what he was going to do, but he didn't want to think about that. Not yet.
1. Two Birds, One Stone

This idea was born of mine and gray-x-natsus-matching-hip-scars angsty speculation in our tumblr chats…

Warnings: blood, angst, feels, spoilers

Enjoy! :)

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Gray hadn't spoken a word since Natsu had revealed to the guild that he was E.N.D. and that in addition his hidden power hadn't worked on Zeref. Instead Gray's slipped away from the chaos which had ensued and hoped that no one would try and find him. He knew they would ask what he was going to do, but he didn't want to think about that. Not yet.

 _Not when E.N.D. was Natsu. Anyone but him._

"Gray?" Natsu whispered. He approached the Ice-Mage as he sat a fair way from the guild of sleeping wizards, staring out at the dark, still night sky. If Natsu had noticed the tear tracks on Gray's cheeks he didn't comment.

"I thought you were asleep." Gray didn't look up as he heard Natsu's voice.

"Can't." Natsu sat next to Gray, just close enough so that their shoulders touched. "Would you be able to?"

Gray shook his head.

"Zeref has to die." Natsu stated.

"He does." Gray replied slowly, "any ideas?"

"One."

"And?" Gray was surprised to feel Natsu shaking. He looked up into Natsu's dark eyes with worry, _something's not right._

"Well," Natsu began, he looked directly at Gray, before making a split second decision, _should I tell him or not?_ "I'll need your help…"

"Anything, Natsu, you know you don't need to ask." Gray replied with a small smile, _anything for you_ , "especially if we're going to kill Zeref…it should cancel out what he's done to you, right?"

"Yeah," Natsu paused, "yeah it should. Thank you Gray." Natsu turned back to the open sky a sad smile on his lips.

"What do you need me to do?" Gray asked, never moving his gaze from Natsu's face.

"We need to do a Unison Raid, I think it might be the only way."

"A Unison Raid?" Gray replied incredulously, "but Natsu, you do know how difficult that is to perfect? We'd need years of training, and our magic, Natsu, they're polar opposites!" Gray exclaimed, "do you really think it would work?"

"Gray, we don't need any more training than we already have, we've been fighting together for most of our lives…"

"Fighting each other more like."

"Listen to me! Gray!" Natsu looked him in the eye, "all those fights, together and against each other, they helped us to familiarise our power and technique with each others. I probably know the way you fight better than anyone else in the guild. Wouldn't you feel the same with me?"

Gray nodded, yet he couldn't help the gut feeling of doubt, "but fire and ice?"

"Isn't there that saying that 'opposites attract'?" Natsu smiled.

You have no idea, Gray thought, "if you're sure?"

"I trust you completely." Natsu responded.

"And I you…but if we don't pull this off we're bound to get hurt, or worse."

"It's never stopped us before."

"True."

"You never fail to do whatever it takes do you?" _It'll get you killed one day._

"You know me best." Natsu grinned widely, trying not to think about what he was about he was about to do, hoping he could cover his worry.

Gray returned the smile, almost oblivious to Natsu's inner turmoil. Almost. "Natsu?" Gray questioned, his brows creasing into a frown.

"What is it?"

"We both come back okay?" _I don't completely trust what you're planning, but I trust you._ "No matter what happens we both come back."

Natsu's stomach did a back flip at those words, and as he turned back to Gray he couldn't help but notice the almost determined tenderness in Gray's expression. _Damn it Gray! Why do you have to be so perceptive?_ Natsu didn't speak, but a small, sad smile graced his lips as he felt Gray lean his way and rest his head on his shoulder, part of him wanted to push him away, but something deeper held him still. _Why Gray? Of all the people to be cast the die of Devil-Slayer. At least this way I'll do his job for him._

Part of Gray, the less rational, more reckless side, screamed for him to tell Natsu exactly why they must both come back, the other was rallying against. _He can't know, not all of it at least._ "Before we face Zeref I need to tell you," Gray closed his eyes, "I really do care about you."

"I wouldn't be here if I thought otherwise," Natsu chuckled, bumping his shoulder to Gray's, "this needs a strong emotional connection for it to work." Natsu paused to rest his head on Gray's, "I care too you know!" _I am so sorry Gray…I am so, so sorry._

The next morning, it was a while before the guild agreed to let Natsu and Gray go, Makarov knew how stubborn those boys could be, and he knew it was best not to stop them when they had a plan. Natsu talked to Happy alone, explaining the necessity of what he had to do and asked him to please not say a word. Many tears later, from both of them, Happy understood.

Mest took the pair out to where Natsu had fought Zeref the day before. After Mest flickered out of sight, Gray turned to Natsu, "how do we get Zeref here?"

"Oh, you're here, aren't you Zeref?" Natsu replied calmly, trying to ignore the ball of swirling guilt which had settled in his stomach. It wouldn't budge.

Gray flexed his fingers, "you can smell him?"

"Strong as your sent is to me," _I prefer yours though_ , he added as an afterthought, "I think it's because he's my brother." Natsu was surprised at how easily the word rolled off his tongue.

"Brother?" Gray whispered in shock.

"Yeah, I can smell it," Natsu replied, "I know he's not lying. Like when I met Silver for the first time, I knew he was related to you somehow. Your sent was so familiar to me by then." _Pine trees and petrichor._

Gray looked over at Natsu, does he really notice?

"Fascinating, Natsu, you brought another." Zeref said quietly.

Natsu and Gray spun round; instinctively Natsu took a step forward so that he was between Zeref and Gray. "I know how to defeat you now."

"Really?" Zeref shot the pair a quizzical frown, "you do remember what I told you Natsu?"

"Yes." Natsu replied simply. "Then it's time we say our goodbyes."

"Of course," a sad smile flickered on Zeref's lips, _finally. I get to end this cursed life._

Natsu paused, looking over at Gray, the darker haired man still seemed to be processing the 'Zeref is Natsu's brother' reveal, but as soon as Natsu caught his eye Gray took a step forward. Natsu held out a hand, stopping him. Then he ran towrds Zeref, and punched him in the jaw.

Zeref took the hit without flinching; he spun back a few feet before landing squarely on his feet. When he looked up, there were tears in his eyes, "that was well deserved. Goodbye, Natsu."

Gray could feel the nervous energy in the air. Zeref looked completely calm, and he wasn't, not really anyway, Natsu's words the night before had calmed him and he knew he would do anything to keep Natsu safe. So it must be Natsu…Gray could feel Natsu quivering as he took a step closer until they were almost shoulder to shoulder.

"With Devil Slayer Ice in my right hand…"

"…and Dragonslayer Fire in my left!"

A cloud of pure icy power started to build up in Gray's right hand, in Natsu's left, right next to Gray, a brilliant flame burned. The swirling bubbles of power grew and grew until they'd melded into a sphere of ice blue flames which surrounded the pairs clasped hands.

Then in perfect sync, Gray and Natsu chanted, their voices melding into one as they yelled.

"OF ICE AND FIRE WE MAKE THE FROZEN DRAGONS ROAR!"

With that, using the full force of their anger and passion, they threw the ball of raw, mixed power at Zeref. Ice blue flames cantered and danced towards the Dark Wizard, and at the command of the pair it engulfed him. Encasing him in the pure magic energy Natsu and Gray had created.

Zeref screamed in pain as the freezing flames burnt his skin, and then through his body. The pain was excruciating but it was worth it if he got to leave this world. _Finally. Thank you, Natsu._

With a thud, Zeref's lifeless body hit the ground.

Gray looked to his right to grin widely at Natsu but Natsu wasn't there. At the same time he felt Natsu's grip on his hand slacken, and he heard the sound of a second body hitting the rough ground.

"Natsu!" Gray cried out, he crashed to his knees next to Natsu's still body and held him in his shaking arms. "We did it, Natsu! We killed Zeref!" Gray squeezed Natsu's hand as a nervous laugh left his lips, "Natsu? Natsu what's wrong? Natsu!"

Natsu stirred, coughing up a mouthful of blood, his whole body was quivering with the effort of keeping his mind focused, and eyes open. "Gr- Gray…I- I'm sorry…"

"Hey! Hey!" Gray whispered, cupping Natsu's cheek with his hand, using the his thumb to wipe the blood from his lips. "You have nothing to be sorry for! I agreed to this, you just put too much into it."

"No." Was all Natsu could manage.

"What do you mean no?" Gray's voice grew in pitch with with his increasing panic.

"Zeref said," Natsu coughed up more blood, it splattered on his chin, and stained his scarf, "he said, if he dies, I…I die too."

"You what!" Gray exclaimed, "Natsu…you idiot…you, why?" He spluttered before letting his expression soften, "Natsu I- you can't- this is all my fault!"

"Gr-ay! No. My f- fault. Sorry."

"Stop apologising Natsu, just don't die!"

"Might not b- be able to st- stop me this t- time…" Natsu coughed as a dark chuckle rose in his throat, "too late."

"No!" Gray snapped. It was almost like an order. "Why though?"

"Zeref and E.N.D. needed to d- die."

"You don't!"

"I _am_ E.N.D., Gray, I do." Natsu offered a sad smile, "I s- saved _you_ though. You didn't have to k- kill me Gray, he d- did."

"No, no Natsu. Don't. Please don't." Gray shook his head, "you can't die. You can't. You can't."

"I am, Gray." Natsu coughed, it wracked his whole body, making him groan in pain. "I'm scared…" Natsu whispered, staring up at Gray with tears in his eyes. Natsu was more scared then than he ever had been in his life. He didn't want to admit it but he did.

"Shh, shh," Gray whispered, "you are going to be fine, okay? I know it. You will be fine." That was when Gray's voice broke and a sharp sob escaped his lips.

"Gray." Natsu lifted a shaking hand to Gray's cheek, "It's okay." He smiled before another rattling cough broke loose. "Everything is going to be okay."

"No no no. Natsu I, I can't do this." Tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"Everything will be fine."

"Natsu."

"Everything will be fine." Natsu repeated. "Everything will b-"

"Natsu!" Gray cut him off. "Natsu stop! Please." Gray's tears dripped onto Natsu's cheeks, pulling fresh tracks along with them.

Natsu blinked, the pain was overwhelming now, only Gray's voice was keeping him grounded. "Just, just talk to me." Natsu whispered.

"I- about what?"

"Anything, I just n- need to hear your voice. Please. Gray…"

"Natsu, I- please don't go. Please! You can't."

"Tell me something happy." Natsu tried to smile through the pain, "just let me see your smile, Gray, just one last time."

"Natsu I-"

Natsu's hand dropped from Gray's cheek and thudded to the ground. His eyes flickered closed.

"Natsu? Natsu!" Gray cried out, "open your eyes! Open your eyes damnit!"

Natsu responded, dragging open his weary lids and focused all his strength on taking in every detail of Gray's face. His nose. His lips. His eyes. Those sad, sad eyes. _So much love in that expression._

"Natsu!" Gray smiled through his tears, "stay with me okay! Stay with me!"

"Thank you, Gray…" Natsu whispered as his last breath was carried away on the wind.

"Natsu? Natsu!" Gray cried out, "answer me damnit! Open your eyes!"

Gray's scream of anguish echoed throughout the clearing. The pain and guilt filled sound filled the space and settled cold. He yelled out, he cursed he cried. Again and again and again. Gray clawed at his blood covered skin, pulled his hair, beat his fists into the ground, but all the while he clutched to Natsu's lifeless body. Willing him back to life. Gray buried his face in Natsu's hair, it still smelt of cinnamon and fire, the most comforting, beautiful smell.

"I love you Natsu."

Then, like a switch had been flicked in Gray's mind, he lay Natsu down on the ground, and using a lump of ice he slowly and gently cleaned Natsu's face, hands and scarf of blood. The tears still fell, but his initial rage had subsided due to the task at a sob, Gray knelt down and pressed a gentle kiss to Natsu's forehead.

 _He looks so peaceful. So content._

With that, Gray lifted Natsu's still body into his arms and started the long walk back to the guild. _How does that sound? Hey, Natsu? You and me eh? One last trip._

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I do have a little sequel of sorts to this so stay tuned :) (if you can deal with more angst that is!)


	2. I am Stone

This is a sequel of sorts to 'Two Birds. One Stone.'. I am going to give you fair warning, it is very dark. _Very Dark._ But read if you like, it occurred because I did too much thinking on my nine and a half hour train ride today. Ughhh. So much thinking time - and when I am stuck in a confined space like that for so long I get anxiety. Anxiety = Angsty writing. Thank you so much for all the reviews on the first part of this story! I am so sorry for making you all cry!

Again this is for gray-x-natsus-matching-hip-scars on tumblr, her theories and headcanons give my writing life. Plus she is lovely! :)

Sorry, I digress…

Warnings: blood, angst, feels

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 **I am Stone.**

 _I am stone._

 _Cold, hard, cruel._

 _I didn't think. I didn't listen, not to my instincts, not to him._

 _Now he's gone, and it's all my fault._

 _All._ _My._ _Fault._

One foot after the other, Gray walked, a steady rhythm.

One, two, one, two, one, two.

The weight of his actions never leaving his chest. The thought of what he did never leaving his mind.

With every step a jolt of pain shot through his body, and the ache in his heart grew stronger.

Tears slowly dripped off his chin, soaking one end of Natsu's scarf.

The half hour walk felt like it had taken days.

When he reached the edge of the pile of rubble which had guild hall Gray stopped. He could here the rumble of voices, no one in particular, but it was enough to stir a jolt of realisation in his chest under his guild mark.

Gray took another step closer, a pile of rubble dislodged itself, scattering itself across his path as he lay Natsu's still body on the ground. The voices stopped. Someone must have heard.

"I'll go have a look," Happy's voice broke the silence.

Gray was still kneeling by Natsu's body when Happy flew over. After placing a gentle kiss on Natsu's forehead, Gray stood. Not quite able to meet the Exceed's eyes, he turned to go.

"Gray." Happy said quietly, "don't go. Please."

"I have to, I can't stay, not after what I did."

"It's not your fault."

"It is."

"Natsu wouldn't wan-"

"Natsu's gone." Gray whispered, "because of me. I can't come back. Not now. Not when he should have survived. I am so, so sorry Happy. This is all my fault."

Gray took another step before he felt a length of material fall around his shoulders. Natsu's scarf.

"He would have wanted you to have it."

Gray lifted the soft material to his face, breathing in the familiar smell. Log fires and cinnamon. Natsu. "Thank you Happy. I- I'm sorry." Gray spun back round as he heard Lucy's voice.

"What is it Happy?"

Gray gave Happy a meaningful look. _I was never here._

"It's Natsu!" Happy called back.

"And Gray?"

"No, just Natsu." Happy's voice broke as Lucy clambered over the rubble towards them. He looked up at Lucy with a tears streaming from his eyes.

Gray was well out of eyeshot when Lucy's scream rang through the valley.

Lucy sobbed uncontrollably as other members of the guild followed her over the rubble and stood dotted around where Natsu lay. There was no sound apart from that of Lucy's sobs, which soon enough were joined by those from the rest of the guild.

Then Erza voiced what they were all thinking. "Where's Gray? Where the hell is Gray!"

"Gray must have brought him here, something could have gone wrong. Or Zeref did, if it didn't work and they both-" Mira stopped, "no, it was Gray. I know it."

"Then where the hell is he?" Erza growled.

"I don't know." Mira sniffed, "Happy? Are you sure he wasn't here?"

"I'm sure." Happy replied, his voice lacking it's usual spring.

No one else spoke until Gajeel suggested they move him somewhere else. No one argued with him as he gently lifted Natsu's body and headed towards the clearer side of the guild hall. However Lucy's quiet rose above the low bustle of voices.

"Where's his scarf?"

Gray wasn't one hundred percent sure how long he walked after leaving the guild. All he knew was that he had kept putting one foot in front of the other until his body completely shut down from emotional and physical exhaustion, and a lack of food, water and sleep. He'd collapsed to the ground at the edge of a forest, unable to move more than half a metre to sit up against the foot of a large oak tree. Gray closed his eyes as the rain started, it blended with the tears on his cheeks, both falling thick and fast. It rinsed away the last of Natsu's blood which had coated his hands, face and chest. Though he left his eyes closed, no real sleep came. Gray would doze but always woke with a scream on his lips and the feeling of Natsu's hand leaving his still etched into his fingers.

As the rain stopped, a dull ache set into Gray's body and he realised what he really needed to do. What he wanted to do. It would be easy. Or so he thought. _I'll be able to see him again._ The idea almost sounded absurd. Something so unlike him. The last time he'd been ready to die he'd been ready to do it to save the people he cared about. This time it was for a much more selfish reason.

"It's all my fault. I can't go back. I just can't." Gray lowered his head between his knees, "but I can't live without you either…Natsu."

Gray whispered the name, savouring it, holding it on his tongue for just a moment longer than usual.

"Ice Make: Dagger."

A small, shiny knife fell into Gray's hands. He twirled it in his fingers, before clasping it in his right hand. The blade ran smoothly down the length of his left wrist and almost instantly angry red blood rose to the surface and leaked out onto the ground. Gray watched in fascination, and was about to swap the dagger into his other hand when a painfully familiar voice echoed in his head.

 _How is dying going to settle things? Huh? Cause it sounds a lot like running away to me…_

"I'm not running away Natsu. I don't deserve to go back." Gray gritted his teeth against the stinging pain in his arm.

 _They deserve to know the truth, and we both know know Happy won't tell them._

"I can't go back."

 _Well you can't stay here._

"They hate me."

 _How do you know?_

Gray paused. "I don't."

 _Then live. Please Gray. If not for yourself, then for them. For me. Live because I can't._

"Natsu I…"

 _GRAY!_

Within moments of Natsu's yell echoing through his mind, Gray felt the dagger slip through his fingers. It hit the ground, bounced once, then shattered and melted into the earth. Gray used his right hand to freeze the wound he'd made. It stung, but as soon as the ice hit his arm began to numb slightly. Gray could feel hot tears on his cheeks as Natsu spoke again.

 _Thank you Gray._

"Don't go!" Tears dropped off Gray's chin and into Natsu's scarf.

 _Go? I'm not going anywhere…but you are going back to the guild._

"Sleep first." Gray mumbled, feeling a little light headed.

 _Fine._

When Gray finally woke around midnight, his arm throbbing and eyes sore, Natsu's voice wasn't there to greet him. "Natsu?" Gray had called out though he knew it couldn't have been real. _Could it?_ There was no response, but Gray wanted to believe it it had really been Natsu. So he did. _Trust Natsu to fight his way back here just to save me._

With a small smile on his face, Gray headed back slowly in the direction of the guild. When he finally made it back a blonde blur hit him straight on and he felt small, but strong arms around him.

"You're okay!" Lucy sniffled, "we all thought…but you're okay." She kept clinging on to Gray who was just about ready to pass out.

"You…you don't hate me?" Gray whispered in shock.

"How could we?"

"But Natsu-"

"Natsu didn't tell us either," Lucy cut him off. "It wasn't your fault Gray."

"Happy explained?"

"To an extent," Lucy replied, "we coaxed it out of him."

"Oh…" Gray stumbled back when Lucy finally let go, "you really don't hate me?"

"How could we?" Mavis echoed Lucy's words.

"…but I came back and not him an-"

"Is your self worth really that much lower than Natsu's worth in your mind?" Erza asked. Walking over to where he stood, she manoeuvred Gray onto a large piece of wall and sat him down. She then knelt so her face was level with Gray's.

"When you put it that way…" Gray sighed, "he was just such an important person in the guild and I- I-"

"Why the past tense?" She asked simply.

"I-" Gray paused, "I see. There isn't any past tense, though Natsu is gone, he's still here. Always will be." Gray brought Natsu's scarf up to his face, and took in a deep breath. "So that's what he meant…" He whispered thoughtfully.

"Exactly," Erza replied with a satisfied smile, "but what did who say?"

"Oh…" Gray had started to feel dizzy again, "nothing."

Erza nodded. "Okay."

"I have to ask though," Mavis spoke up, "did you manage to kill Zeref?"

"We did, somehow we did it…the first and last 'Fire and Ice' Unison Raid." Gray grinned, he couldn't help it, the feeling of his and Natsu's melding magic had been incredible. He had felt so strong. _Will I ever feel that strong again?_ There was a moments silence before Lucy's voice broke through it.

"Gray!" Lucy exclaimed as she knelt next to Gray as well, "your arm…you didn't?" Her eyes were wide with shock, "I'll get Wendy!" She kept a hand firmly on Gray's own as she turned to call out for Wendy but she felt a hand on her arm.

"Don't, it will heal."

"The scar though?"

"I need it to remind me…" Gray trailed off.

"Of what?" Lucy and Erza whispered in unison.

"Something an old friend once told me. He saved my life, so many times over, I don't think he'll ever stop." With a small, sad smile, Gray left it at that. _Thank you, Natsu._


End file.
